Cimmerian Blood

[gamerprinter]

Excuse my interruption...

Excuse this interruption, I play Pathfinder and not Conan RPG, but I am currently working on a setting intended for publication, called The Lands of Keld - an iron age Celtic setting. So while my world is more magical like D&D than Sword & Sorcery as appropriate for Conan - you have some great ideas here! (Mostly talking fluff, of course, as Fate Points and mechanical stuff for Conan, has no place in my game.)

Through all the years of reading Conan books and seeing movies, it never dawned on me until recently that Howard's Conan was basically a Celt. All your numerology of the number 3, the illiteracy, mythologizing about menhir stones and not having actually built them, your basic clan structure - all very Celtic elements.

I might steal some ideas especially a tougher version of the test of manhood race and their relationships with the other clans.

So I appreciate this thread very much, so "Thank you!"

GP

 

[Water Bob]

Yes, Howard based the Cimmerians on the Celts. Most of the races in Howard's Hyborian Age have a real-life counterpart. Aquilonians are based on medieval French. Zingarans are medieval Spanish. People from Argos and Corinthia are based on the sea-going and inland ancient Greeks, repsectively. The Nordheimr are based on a Viking culture, etc.

You might notice that, in the Age of Conan MMO, the Cimmerians speak with an Irish accent. In the new Dark Horse comics, there is a definite "Celtic feel" to the Cimmerian look.

And, it seems that the producers of the upcoming Conan movie are doing their homework as the stills that are making their way onto the net show a very "Celtic" influenced Conan.

You're welcome to take anything you want in my thread. That's why I'm posting it there.

But, you might want to be careful, too. As I state in the OP, not all of this is my creation from idea germ to seed to description. I've taken a lot from the Conan RPG and some things from other sources. I'll take anything that makes my game a more interesting place for my players to explore. While this is fine for a GM and his gamers, if you're thinking of publishing, there might be some copyright issues with some ideas.

For example, the Ras Croi is completely my invention. I made that up from start to finish--the race, the punts, the route, the obstacles...everything came up out of my own creativity. I even used a Celtic word generator to create the words "Ras Croi".

But a similiar thing I mention is the Grulklim. That, I took, completely, from a Conan RPG sourcebook called Cities of Hyboria.

And, the idea of Storm Peace, I found in a free D&D adventure download on the WotC site.

Now, I'm sure the writers of the Conan RPG got their ideas from researching ancient Celtic and Gaelic ways--so, what's copyrightable and what's not might get messy.

In saying this, I just want to make you aware that everything I've posted here has not leaped 100% from my mind only. I've used sourcebooks for what they were meant to be used for: springboards to ideas that will make my game an interesting place to explore.

 

[gamerprinter]

I know what not to steal...

Thanks for the pointers. My work is heavily based on Celtic lore - from books, some websites, a lifetime of research on the Celtic world, so I know what is Celtic vs. the creativity on the part of another RPG design team. I've also looked at Conan RPG from Mongoose and many of the characters in your "story" actually come from Mongoose - the missing Nuadh and her father + the truth behind what has happened. I would know not to steal that.

And unlike Hyboria, my world reflects Celts occupying the entire north and west of an analog Europe - so not reserved to a tiny land of Cimmeria, but more like half of Europe being Celtic. With some Germanic tribes in the old Celtic homeland, as well as some Mediterranean like city-state cultures. So no ancient French as a separate society, as these are Gauls who are in fact Celtic, as well as a Celtiberic culture in the southwest, as a Spain.

But you may consider Ras Croi stolen for sure!

Regarding the superstition of magic, though it still exists to some degree, I'm going for including Bards, druidic-like priests and spell casters, and a greater use of Fey (which doesn't fit S&S, yet is very Celtic) - so my setting is definitely not Conan's Hyboria.

Thanks for the read though - I enjoyed it thoroughly.

GP

 

[Water Bob]

Thanks for the pointers. My work is heavily based on Celtic lore - from books, some websites, a lifetime of research on the Celtic world, so I know what is Celtic vs. the creativity on the part of another RPG design team.

It sounds like your book is something that I could use in my game. When you get it out, please drop me a PM. I'll buy the sucker if I can use it. I'm always on the look out for good supplements.

I've also looked at Conan RPG from Mongoose and many of the characters in your "story" actually come from Mongoose - the missing Nuadh and her father + the truth behind what has happened. I would know not to steal that.

Exactly. As you know, that's just a bare idea presented in the Cimmeria sourcebook. I built this campaign as a sandbox. I pay attention to what has interested the players--what they talk about in-between games--and I build upon that.

Nuadha's story has captured their imagination, so I'm going to expand the idea, turn it into a fleshed out story adventure. I'll be doing that once I get through the Pre-1st level stuff (the Prelude to the campaign, if you will).

Say...from your background and knowledge of the subject, I sure could use some help with the language. I'm just guessing and checking what I can on the net. For example, Nuadha. How do you correctly pronounce that name? "New-ah-tha?"

But you may consider Ras Croi stolen for sure!

Interesting how that came about. My players are old AD&D 2E people. None have played a d20 game before. Plus, the Conan game is a version of the 3.5E game--not exactly D&D 3.5.

So, I decided to start the campaign, as you can see in this thread, with a few sessions before the players are 1st level. Each session, I teach them something new about the game, but I do it in story-format--just as if we were playing the game.

I wanted to start off teaching them skills. And, that's how the whole Ras Croi idea came to me.

Tucked in around the "teaching" of the game is the story, like Drachena's introduction and the mysterious Vanir old man with no tongue.

Thanks for the read though - I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Glad to hear it!

I'm really finding this campaign rewarding on a creative level. It's not "work". The creation of it is a reward in and of itself. That the players are enjoying the game is a second reward on top of the first.

Much of the beginning of the campaign is me and my creativity, but after we get into the game a few sessions, I'm sure I'll be building on the input from my players. They'll have some excellent ideas, and I'll expand upon it.

I've got some broad strokes ideas of where I want this to go, but really, I'm letting the players "lead". Where ever we go, it will be because the players took us there--not because I created something and influenced the game so that we ended up there.

Like Nuadha. I planted the idea. If the players had not caught onto it, I wouldn't be developing it further into a full blown adventure. It would remain some background lore--until maybe I used it later in the game.

But, my game will head that way because of my players' interest.

Well, back to the working board. I've got our second session tomorrow, and I've got to set up the Outline. I've learned, expecially in games like this that give the players so much freedom, that it really pays to be prepared. So, I try to prepare a session with an Outline--and I'm more than willing to deviate if it comes to that during the actual session.

 

[Water Bob]

-- Initial NPC Attitude --



Because, sometimes its fun to see what the dice tell you about an NPC. Use modifiers or change the DC's if appropriate to fit the situation.



Initial NPC Attitude = d20 + Diplomacy



0+ Hostile
5+ Unfriendly
10+ Indifferent
15+ Friendly
20+ Helpful


For example, young Thrallan has his eye on the lovely Girdra. How does Girdra feel about Thrallan?

Thrallan gets a +1 for his CHR, and we'll give him a +2 circumstance bonus because he just finished the Ras Croi and is a member of the Grais now. But, Girdra's family doesn't like the Duncohrs. Apply a -1 circumstance penalty for that. Roll d20 +2 and check the total on the chart to determine Girdra's initial reaction to Thrallan.

Thrallan's player can then use the Diplomacy rules to attempt to change her attitude, if he wishes.



If the GM doesn't pick the initial attitude of the NPC, then a chart like the above can be easily constructed specifically for the situation.

Or, if a purely random (weighted, though) result is desired, consider something like this:


Roll 2d6
-----------

(2-3) Hostile
(4-5) Unfriendly
(6-7-8) Indifferent
(9-10) Friendly
(11-12) Helpful

 

[gamerprinter]

Sure...

Nuadha - while "new-ah-tha" works fine, I believe the correct pronounciation is "new-tha" (the 'ah' being silent).

My last name is Tumey, which is Irish, the Old Celtic spelling is "O'Tuama" which is pronounced "Oh-tu-mah" the 'a' being silent. That would be my closest comparison. Lots of Irish Celtic word pronounciation is nothing like it is spelled. For example Daoine Sidhe is pronounced "Theena Shee", see what I mean?

Another example with the "ua" in the word, unfortunately is another "tua" word - Tuatha de Danaan, meaning 'tribe of the children of Dana' - the people of the old Irish Gods - Dagda, Nuadha, Lugh, etc.

Tuatha is pronounced "tooth-ah", so again the first 'a' is silent.

As a recent find, I've always known that Dana or Danu (as in Tuatha de Danaan) is the original Celtic mother earth goddess, and that most rivers are named after various local Celtic goddesses, however I just discovered that the original homeland of the Celts was the regions surrounding the Danube River, and Danube is from Danu the goddess. Cool factoid...

GP

PS: I don't mean to displace Crom as the chief god or only Cimmerian god, but I thought you might find the Danu story interesting.

 

[Water Bob]

-- Game Session Two Outline --



Outline for game session one can be found earlier in the thread HERE.




I didn't write out the Outline in prose, the way I did last time, but here's the actual Outline I used during the session.

I. Twenty Questions.



II. Dead, tongueless man.



III. Back To Normal.
- In the Muck.
- Brial and Dahkus tease Caelis.
- Branoc shepherds Caelis.



IV. Graiis Slave Labor
- Fix Roof.
- Help Butcher.
- Chop Firewood with strange request.

- Respect from fellow Clansmen.
- Stone Gorge.
- Looks from girls.
- Branoc works with Caelis on the Ras Croi.



V. Drachena's Spears
- Twirl it for reach.
- Slam it into a tree for a step.
- Use it as a walking stick.
- Carry two. Throw one. Fight with the other.
- Use it for hunting, or for war. A sword is only for war.
- If a good, quality head, use it to jump or vault.
- A marker for scouts.

- Ean, watching the Graiis on their first day of weapons training, steps in and beats the hell out of the target dummy with his sword. "A spear is no match for a good yard of steel."

- Drachena: "But a spear will kill just as quickly. Dead is what you need. Obliteration is not required."

- Ean: "Always carry more than one weapon." Versatility.

- Drachena: "Find that which highlights your strengths. Find that with which you are comfortable."

- Ean: "Part of being a man is taking care of yourself, your family, and your clan. Obtaining a good quality weapon is one of the first challenges of manhood."



VI. In the mean time.
- Craft weapons?
- What is Caelis doing with his time?



VII. Lughnasa
- Girdra
- Chani



VIII. One Year Later. The Beltain. Age 13.
- Caelis' Ras Croi.
- He runs against Brial and Dahkus.



IX. Combat.
- Combat round parts.
- Initiative.
- Delay.
- Attack Roll.
- Flat Footed.
- Dodge and Parry Defense Roll.
- DR 5 vs. Finess, AP, and Damage.


X. On the Board.
- Attacks of Opportunity = Free Attacks.
- Usually only 1 AoO per round.
- Circle step.
- Flanking.
- Two Weapon Fighting.
- Aid Another.
- Dance Aside.
- Feint.
- Use The Battlefield.
- Mock battles.

 

[Water Bob]

-- SPEARS ... a scene from game session two --



The first day of weapons training. The boys in the Graiis have waited for this. They've been waiting for over six moons after finishing the Ras Croi.

Caelis, one of the PCs, didn't complete the Ras Croi with the other PCs, so he's a step behind (a year behind). But, his player keeps the character tagging along with his brothers. He's basically in the Graiis but not officially.

Various members of the clan have been teaching the Graiis. Clansmen teach what they know, like going to the best person to learn each topic. Drachena begins their first day of warrior training. Ean, the Clan War Chief, comes over to watch the boys on their first day.

Drachena shoos Caelis away. The player had the character leave, but then has him climb up a tree to watch what his brothers are doing.

Drachena walks out in front of the boys with two spears in her hands, a tall war spear, and a shorter hunting spear. "You always, always carry more than one weapon," she begins. "Always."

She hefted the hunting spear like she was testing it's weight and balance, then, in a flash, she throws it with all her might at the wooden training dummy. "It can be a long distance weapon," she says, "with it, you can hunt and feed yourself, and you can use it for war. With a sword, you can only use it for war."

With the war spear, the grips it close to the base of the shaft with both hands then swings it about herself in a circle. "See the reach? With a long weapon, you can attack out to about ten paces."

She stops the twirling, then runs to the hunting spear in the side of the training dummy, using her foot to step on the spear head like a step. "With a good quality weapon, you can lodge your spear in the tree or a fence. It will help you climb, jump, or see over obstacles."

Pulling the hunting spear from the dummy, she walks calmly, using the stick to balance, acting as if she were on uneven terrain. "Your spear can be your walking stick." Pulling the head of the spear around so that the boys in the Graiis can get a good look at it, and if your weapon is made to be used thus, you can..., " she runs a distance, shoves the spear into the ground, and uses it to vault over the training dummy, "....use it to leap over small obstacles."

Shoving the spear into the ground in front of her, she then pulls a strip of cloth from her pouch, tying it around the end of the spear so that the spear stands like a flag pole, the cloth serving as its flag. "You can use it as a signal if you are Scout and your clansmen are following up behind."

At this point, a voice came down from above them. It was Caelis, in the tree. "Why not just tie the cloth onto a tree or bush?"

Draechena looks sternly at Caelis, but shakes her head. "Yes, you can do that, too."

A laugh from the edge of the ground is deep, from a large chest. It's Ean, watching the introduction to spears, laughing at Caelis' remark. "Caelis, no more out of you, now."

Ean pulls out his big two-handed war sword and calmly walks over to the training dummy. Then, he proceeds to bash the hell out of it, destroying the wooden and straw thing.

"Cimmerians used to favor the spear," he turns to the Graiis, holding the sword up for all to see. His eyes glitter like he's looking at gold. "But, your countrymen have the secret of steel, and the sword...the SWORD is a man's weapon. And a spear? A spear is no match for a good yard of steel."

There is a thump, thump, swish, and a knock behind him. Drachena has run to the training dummy--to what's left of it--and rammed the war spear deep into a big section of wood, sliding it across the ground a by a pace or so.

"You don't need to obliterate your opponent's body, " she says, "You only need to down him. Killing can be can be done with as much as one puncture."

She pulls her war spear from the dummy. "Regardless, you must train with many types of weapons. You never know what you'll have at hand, or what you'll be able to obtain on short notice. Sometimes it may be the jagged edge of a clay pot or the leg off a table or chair. You fight with your hands if you have to, but always employ a weapon if you can and gain that edge that will make you victorious over your enemies."

Ean agrees, "Yes. She speaks true. Find that weapon that compliments your skills...that highlights your abilities. Find that one with which you are comfortable." He smiles at the young boys, raising his eyebrows, "Then find a few more in case you drop that one, eh?"

The boys in the Graiis laugh.

"Part of being a man, " Ean continues, "is taking care of yourself, your family, and your clan. Obtaining a good quality weapon is one of the first challenges of manhood."

Drachena adds, "I tell you this now, because you've got two full seasons to find and obtain the right weapon for yourself. Create a weapon, if you have the skill. Trade for one. Ask a favor of one. Or, pick up a stick and use it as a club until you can find a way to get yourself a better weapon."

 

[Water Bob]

-- THE GRATH --

CAMPAIGN BULLET POINT I



The Grath are one of the largest and oldest Cimmerian clans. These people inhabit the Grath Vales, a series of steep, wooded valleys in the central foothills of the Eiglophian mountains. While most Cimmerian clans are centralized on one or a few towns, a unique feature of this clan is that it is composed of several small, insular settlements spread throughout the clan's territory. Each village is made up of one-to-two, almost never three, families. There are about twenty villages in all. One of the largest Grath settlements has only eight buildings.

The Grath are extremely progressive when compared to most other Cimmerian clans. They have embraced agriculture, graduating from the usual hunter/gatherer culture. Many of the Grath clansmen are farmers, mountain goat herders, or shepherds. The Grath are known for their cloth, a major item of trade with other Cimmerian clans and the Aesir of the Eiglophian north face.

Other popular professions among the Grath are stream fisherman, mountain hunter, and river miner. The Diamondrun River runs the length of Grath territory, branching into the many valleys that are the Grath Vales. This mountain river is the clan's primary source of water, food, and wealth. The miners steal quality iron-ore, and other minerals and precious metals and gems, from the crust of their mountain home. It is said that Crom uses the mountain beneath the Grath to store his wealth, and the Grath take what they can without his notice. When the mountain shakes, though, the Grath know that Crom is looking their way.

Grathmuir is the only three-family settlement on the Diamondrun, and it is here that a young Grath clansman became the clan's first master weaponsmith within memory.

This smith was a member of the Duncohr family.

He was your great-grandfather.

 

[Water Bob]

-- AESIR BLOOD --

CAMPAIGN BULLET POINT II



The only surviving son of that Grath mastersmith was your grandfather, Fionn, who was apprenticed to his father at the Duncohr family forge in Grathmuir. Fionn was wed to Maeoral, a Cimmerian girl from Grathwold, to strengthen the alliance between the two Grath villages. She gave Fionn four sons: Finn, Dael, Eanbotha, and Eregerth.

Before their firstborn, Finn, became your father, he witnessed trouble in your grandmother's village of Grathwold. A Grath shepherd traded a few sheep to an Aesir family for a wife. The shepherd was ridiculed and shunned by some members of the greater clan outside of Grathwold who felt the mixing of Cimmerian and Aesir blood to be an impure act that dishonored the clan. Some say that the shepherd was eventually forced out of Grathwold. Others say that the shepherd left the clan of his own choosing in order to find another home for his family. In either case, the shepherd did not leave Grathwold until his Aesir wife had a child, a little girl they named Lyme.

Finn knew little of Lyme, but he felt honor bound to offer marriage to her. No one else would. He thought that bringing her into the Duncohr family would shield her from those who would call her "half-breed". Fionn was against the marriage. The shepherd agreed, though, knowing his road away from the clan was uncertain and most likely dangerous.

Finn married Lyme, but the scorn and labels of clan dishonor did not cease.

The Aesir bloodline has passed from her mother to Lyme to her sons, Branoc and Caelis.

Branoc favors his father, Finn. But Caelis is light haired and light eyed--his Aesir heritage showing through.